There's been a lot of fanfare surrounding Expedition 33 in the last year, and I was sceptical going into it. It exploded out of nowhere and later won nearly every possible award. When I picked it up, it was exam season, and I wasn't sure I was in the mood for another RPG - in fact, I was beginning to wonder if I had reached a point where I didn't have the interest or energy in big story games anymore.
So, when I played it, I can only express my own surprise at how much I enjoyed it. I loved it! But it wasn't just a very well executed game - on a personal level, it gave me a new hope of what is possible with video games. Let me explain...
Music
The music is really what enshrined it for me. I have seen and loved many game soundtracks before, and many of them show great sophistication at what they do. However, I had never seen this type of sophistication attempted in a game before.
The music of Clair Obscur is driven primarily by chamber orchestra. While most soundtracks opt for a large ensemble for a dramatic sound, Expedition's decision to use a chamber orchestra is absolutely magnificent. It gives each instrument, as well as Alice's singing voice, such a sense of intimacy and detail that can't be replicated in large sections. It's the first game I've played to be written around chamber, and I love that!
If that wasn't enough, Expedition got even more flowers for its diversity and scale of music - not to mention from a new composer discovered on the internet. The whole story is absolutely bonkers! It would have been enough for me to hear the beautiful chamber music of tracks like Aline and Alicia, but Lorien demonstrates an incredible versatility across genres like rock and electronic to diversify the soundtrack.
To explain what this means to me, though, you must listen to my background. I was brought up listening to Mozart, and became a classical singer; I adored these pieces for their craft and storytelling. Expedition 33 is the first time I've seen this in a game, or in any contemporary medium; beautiful music written for small ensembles, with operatic vocals and weaving musical story threads. I didn't even entertain the idea that this was possible in a game before - sure, possible, but who would be willing to put in that monumental effort? Who would have the skill set, the budget and the dedication to commit to such a beautiful but artistically demanding style? For a game, I thought, it was off the cards. And for Expedition 33 to prove me wrong, I am overjoyed, and my eyes have been opened to what a video game soundtrack really can be.